"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Et si tu n'existais pas
Dis-moi pourquoi j'existerais
Pour traîner dans un monde sans toi
Sans espoir et sans regret
Et si tu n'existais pas
J'essaierais d'inventer l'amour
Comme un peintre qui voit sous ses doigts
Naître les couleurs du jour
Et qui n'en revient pas
Et si tu n'existais pas
Dis-moi pour qui j'existerais
Des passantes endormies dans mes bras
Que je n'aimerais jamais
Et si tu n'existais pas
Je ne serais qu'un point de plus
Dans ce monde qui vient et qui va
Je me sentirais perdu
J'aurais besoin de toi
Et si tu n'existais pas
Dis-moi comment j'existerais
Je pourrais faire semblant d'être moi
Mais je ne serais pas vrai
Et si tu n'existais pas
Je crois que je l'aurais trouvé
Le secret de la vie, le pourquoi
Simplement pour te créer
Et pour te regarder
Et si tu n'existais pas
Dis-moi pourquoi j'existerais
Pour traîner dans un monde sans toi
Sans espoir et sans regret
Et si tu n'existais pas
J'essaierais d'inventer l'amour
Comme un peintre qui voit sous ses doigts
Naître les couleurs du jour
Dis-moi pourquoi j'existerais
Pour traîner dans un monde sans toi
Sans espoir et sans regret
Et si tu n'existais pas
J'essaierais d'inventer l'amour
Comme un peintre qui voit sous ses doigts
Naître les couleurs du jour
Et qui n'en revient pas
Et si tu n'existais pas
Dis-moi pour qui j'existerais
Des passantes endormies dans mes bras
Que je n'aimerais jamais
Et si tu n'existais pas
Je ne serais qu'un point de plus
Dans ce monde qui vient et qui va
Je me sentirais perdu
J'aurais besoin de toi
Et si tu n'existais pas
Dis-moi comment j'existerais
Je pourrais faire semblant d'être moi
Mais je ne serais pas vrai
Et si tu n'existais pas
Je crois que je l'aurais trouvé
Le secret de la vie, le pourquoi
Simplement pour te créer
Et pour te regarder
Et si tu n'existais pas
Dis-moi pourquoi j'existerais
Pour traîner dans un monde sans toi
Sans espoir et sans regret
Et si tu n'existais pas
J'essaierais d'inventer l'amour
Comme un peintre qui voit sous ses doigts
Naître les couleurs du jour
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Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
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Dreamwalker
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
I Can't Go To Sleep
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This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Punchline
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Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Most beautiful love song ever.
I agree.. although the song's music may be kitsch like, I so so love what Joe Dassin wanted to express by his words... sigh... I think it is the basic definition of love at its greatest. Seriously, don't you think that (with English translation):
Et si tu n'existais pas (And if you didn't exist) Dis-moi comment j'existerais (Tell me how would I exist?) Je pourrais faire semblant d'etre moi (I could pretend to be me) Mais je ne serais pas vrai (But I would not be true) Et si tu n'existais pas (And if you didn't exist) Je crois que je l'aurais trouve (I think I would have found it) Le secret de la vie, le pourquoi (The secret of life, the 'why') Simplement pour te creer (Simply to create you) Et pour te regarder (And to look at you)
is a very powerful and romantic imagery/ statement?? ... my heart melts...
Ah, bonjour, voici un translation complet. :D
Et si tu n'existais pas And if you didn't exist (were not alive) Dis-moi pourquoi j'existerais Tell me, why should I [exist] Pour traîner dans un monde sans toi To roam in world without you Sans espoir et sans regret Without hope [and] without regret Et si tu n'existais pas And if you didn't exist J'essaierais d'inventer l'amour I would try to invent love Comme un peintre qui voit sous ses doigts Like a painter, who sees, from beneath his fingers, Naître les couleurs du jour the day's colours being born Et qui n'en revient pas and wonders about them
Et si tu n'existais pas And if you didn't exist Dis-moi pour qui j'existerais Tell me, why should I [exist] Des passantes endormies dans mes bras Passing girls, asleep in my arms Que je n'aimerais jamais That I would never love Et si tu n'existais pas And if you didn't exist Je ne serais qu'un point de plus I would only be one other dot Dans ce monde qui vient et qui va in this world, that comes and goes Je me sentirais perdu I would feel lost J'aurais besoin de toi I would need you
Et si tu n'existais pas And if you didn't exist Dis-moi comment j'existerais Tell me, how could I Je pourrais faire semblant d'être moi I could pretend to be me Mais je ne serais pas vrai But it wouldn't be true Et si tu n'existais pas And if you didn't exist Je crois que je l'aurais trouvé I think that I would have found Le secret de la vie, le pourquoi The secret of life, the WHY Simplement pour te créer Only to create you Et pour te regarder And to look at you
Et si tu n'existais pas And if you didn't exist Dis-moi pourquoi j'existerais Tell me why should I [exist] Pour traîner dans un monde sans toi To roam in a world without you Sans espoir et sans regret Without hope, [and] without regret Et si tu n'existais pas And if you didn't exixt J'essaierais d'inventer l'amour I would try to invent love Comme un peintre qui voit sous ses doigts Like a painter who sees, beneath his fingers Naître les couleurs du jour The day's colours being born Et qui n'en revient pas and wonders about them
Still...